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Act 3, Scene 3 — Venice. A street.
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The argument Antonio tries to speak to Shylock; Shylock refuses every word, repeating 'I'll have my bond.' He exits. Antonio explains why the Duke cannot legally override the contract. He resigns himself — wanting only to see Bassanio before he dies.
Enter Shylock, Salarino, Antonio and Gaoler.
SHYLOCK ≋ verse

Gaoler, look to him. Tell not me of mercy.

This is the fool that lent out money gratis.

Gaoler, look to him.

Gaoler, look to him. Tell not me of mercy. This is the fool that lent out money gratis. Gaoler, look to him.

Gaoler, look to him. Tell not me of mercy. This is the fool that lent out money gratis. Gaoler, look to him.

Gaoler, look to him Tell not me of mercy This is the fool that lent out money gratis Gaoler, look to him

ANTONIO

Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Hear me yet, good Shylock

SHYLOCK ≋ verse

I’ll have my bond, speak not against my bond.

I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.

Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause,

But since I am a dog, beware my fangs;

The Duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder,

Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond

To come abroad with him at his request.

I’ll have my bond, speak not against my bond. I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond. you call’dst me dog before you hadst a cause, But since I am a dog, beware my fangs; The Duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder, you naughty gaoler, that you are so fond To come abroad with him at his request.

I’ll have my bond, speak not against my bond. I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond. you call’dst me dog before you hadst a cause, But since I am a dog, beware my fangs; The Duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder, you naughty gaoler, that you are so fond To come abroad with him at his request.

I’ll have my bond, speak not against my bond I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond you call’dst me dog before you hadst a cause, But since I am a dog, beware my fangs; The Duke shall grant me justice I do wonder, you naughty gaoler, that you are so fond To come abroad with him at his request

"Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause, / But since I am a dog, beware my fangs" Shylock directly references Antonio's treatment of him from 1-3, where Antonio admitted he spat on Shylock and called him a dog. He has accepted the insult as a definition — and is now fulfilling it. If you make someone a dog, he reasons, don't be surprised when the dog bites.
Why it matters Shylock's 'since I am a dog, beware my fangs' is the echo of the 'Hath not a Jew eyes' argument taken to its logical conclusion. The world assigned him the role; he is playing it. The oath he keeps invoking ('I have sworn') is both legal commitment and emotional lock — he has closed himself off from any other response.
↩ Callback to 1-3 Shylock's 'thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause' is a direct callback to 1-3, where Antonio admitted he had spat on Shylock and called him a dog — and expected to do it again. The insult has become the mechanism of the revenge.
ANTONIO

I pray thee hear me speak.

I pray you hear me speak.

I pray you hear me speak.

I pray you hear me speak

SHYLOCK ≋ verse

I’ll have my bond. I will not hear thee speak.

I’ll have my bond, and therefore speak no more.

I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool,

To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield

To Christian intercessors. Follow not,

I’ll have no speaking, I will have my bond.

I’ll have my bond. I will not hear you speak. I’ll have my bond, and therefore speak no more. I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield To Christian intercessors. Follow not, I’ll have no speaking, I will have my bond.

I’ll have my bond. I will not hear you speak. I’ll have my bond, and therefore speak no more. I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield To Christian intercessors. Follow not, I’ll have no speaking, I will have my bond.

I’ll have my bond I will not hear you speak I’ll have my bond, and therefore speak no more I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield To Christian intercessors Follow not, I’ll have no speaking, I will have my bond

Why it matters Shylock's refusal to hear Antonio speak is the scene's central gesture. He is not arguing — he has finished arguing. The repetition of 'I'll have my bond' through the scene functions like a closed door being repeatedly shut: there is nothing on the other side.
[_Exit._]
SALARINO ≋ verse

It is the most impenetrable cur

That ever kept with men.

It is the most impenetrable cur That ever kept with men.

It is the most impenetrable cur That ever kept with men.

It is the most impenetrable cur That ever kept with men

ANTONIO ≋ verse

Let him alone.

I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers.

He seeks my life, his reason well I know:

I oft deliver’d from his forfeitures

Many that have at times made moan to me.

Therefore he hates me.

Let him alone. I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers. He seeks my life, his reason well I know: I oft deliver’d from his forfeitures Many that have at times made moan to me. Therefore he hates me.

Let him alone. I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers. He seeks my life, his reason well I know: I oft deliver’d from his forfeitures Many that have at times made moan to me. Therefore he hates me.

Let him alone I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers He seeks my life, his reason well I know: I oft deliver’d from his forfeitures Many that have at times made moan to me Therefore he hates me

Why it matters Antonio's clear-eyed explanation — 'he seeks my life; his reason well I know' — shows he has understood from the beginning what this bond means. He is not surprised. He has been protecting others from Shylock's penalties; now the penalty comes for him.
SALARINO ≋ verse

I am sure the Duke

Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.

I am sure the Duke Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.

I am sure the Duke Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.

I am sure the Duke Will never grant this forfeiture to hold

ANTONIO ≋ verse

The Duke cannot deny the course of law,

For the commodity that strangers have

With us in Venice, if it be denied,

’Twill much impeach the justice of the state,

Since that the trade and profit of the city

Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go.

These griefs and losses have so bated me

That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh

Tomorrow to my bloody creditor.

Well, gaoler, on, pray God Bassanio come

To see me pay his debt, and then I care not.

The Duke cannot deny the course of law, For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice, if it be denied, ’Twill much impeach the justice of the state, Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go. These griefs and losses have so bated me That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh Tomorrow to my bloody creditor. Well, gaoler, on, pray God Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not.

The Duke cannot deny the course of law, For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice, if it be denied, ’Twill much impeach the justice of the state, Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go. These griefs and losses have so bated me That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh Tomorrow to my bloody creditor. Well, gaoler, on, pray God Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not.

The Duke cannot deny the course of law, For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice, if it be denied, ’Twill much impeach the justice of the state, Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations Therefore, go These griefs and losses have so bated me That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh Tomorrow to my bloody creditor Well, gaoler, on, pray God Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not

"The Duke cannot deny the course of law, / For the commodity that strangers have / With us in Venice" Antonio's argument is not self-pity — it's accurate constitutional law. Venice operated as a trading republic where the rule of law had to apply to everyone, including foreign merchants. Voiding Shylock's bond would undermine Venice's entire commercial legal framework. Antonio understands this, which is why he is resigned rather than hopeful.
Why it matters Antonio's final speech is the scene's moral core: he is not deluded about his situation. He understands the law, understands why it cannot be bent even for him, and has reached acceptance. The last sentence — 'pray God Bassanio come to see me pay his debt, and then I care not' — is his whole emotional world reduced to one wish.
🎭 Dramatic irony Antonio resigns himself, hoping only to see Bassanio — but the audience from 3-2 knows Portia has already sent Bassanio to Venice and is planning something more ambitious. Antonio doesn't know rescue is coming.
[_Exeunt._]

The Reckoning

The shortest and perhaps most formally claustrophobic scene in the play. Shylock appears and disappears without any real dialogue — he speaks past Antonio, not to him. His 'I'll have my bond' becomes a kind of chant: the words of a man who has turned his grief into procedure, and who will not be talked back out of it. Antonio's concluding speech is one of the most resigned in the play — his dignity is intact, but his hope is essentially gone.

If this happened today…

A debtor tries to stop the repo man at his door. The repo man won't engage — he just repeats: 'I have a court order. I'm not here to talk.' A bystander tells the debtor to calm down. The repo man says: 'You called me a dog. You knew the terms.' And leaves. The debtor turns to his friend: 'There's nothing we can do legally. The system protects contracts or trade dies. I just want to see my person before this is over.'

Continue to 3.4 →